Often at the holidays we give thanks for those around us and think warmly of those who are no longer here but were special in some way to our lives. This can be extremely difficult when an individual has exited life through a suicide. The recent death of the nurse in England brought so many issues to light in addition to the actual suicide such as confidentiality, pranks and bullying. It may have happened in England but we have also seen too many suicides each year, every year, right here and most of those do not get the attention they deserve. Awareness is important -- not to blame or find fault -- but to learn ways to recover for the survivors and to prevent future events.

The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Genesee County has the mission of providing suicide awareness, training, prevention, and aftermath strategies for individuals, families, schools, and organizations in the county. It is focused on the goal of reducing suicides to zero. The coalition brings schools, law enforcement, counseling agencies, advocacy groups, and many others to the table to work together to accomplish the goal.

Some individuals may not be aware of many of the resources available to them such as: Genesee County Mental Health Services (344-1421) that provides counseling and psychiatric services, the Mental Health Association in Genesee County (344-2611) offering advocacy, education, and a support group for survivors of suicide, and Regional Action Phone – RAP (344-1212) our crisis hotline and information center available 24/7.

Media attention might have been too much for that nurse. The “prank” went very wrong and we often do not realize the consequences of our “kidding” or “joking.” We focus on children and adolescents bullying but what about adults? Maybe some have gone too far and been desensitized to the pain of others.

Words and actions are more significant than you think and they can lead to amazing results. If you are interested in helping to eliminate suicide, there is a seat for you at our table. Call any of the above agencies for more information.